The present invention relates to a food processing method and apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for processing a rope of aerated confectionery foam, such as a marshmallow product, into small pieces on a mass production basis.
Aerated confections or aerated confectionery foams are popular food items. Some aerated confectionery foams include a fat constituent, while others are substantially fat-free. An illustrative, fat-free aerated confectionery foam is the common marshmallow. Such marshmallow products are familiar in both larger and smaller sizes.
It is well-known that such marshmallows when fresh are soft and pliable, but will stale by losing moisture and become hard. Indeed, purposefully pre-dried aerated confectionery foams are also well-known. These products, particularly in smaller or bit sizes, are popularly commonly added to ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals, especially those marketed to children. Due to their small size (e.g., having a number count of 4-6 per gram), these dried, aerated confectionery marshmallow products are sometimes colloquially referred to as xe2x80x9cMar.xe2x80x9d bits or xe2x80x9cmarbitsxe2x80x9d. The marbits must be pre-dried prior to admixture with the RTE cereal in order to reduce unwanted moisture migration from the marbit to the cereal, and thus to forestall the multiple problems resulting therefrom.
While there are many types of aerated confectionery marshmallows on the market, their methods of preparation generally fall into two main process groups: extruded marshmallow and deposited marshmallow. With either type, a sugar syrup and a structuring agent such as an albumin, agar, or preferably a gelatin solution are the two main ingredients. Typically, the sugar syrup is cooled down and then combined with the gelatin solution to form a slurry. The slurry is then aerated to form a foam, and after aeration, desired colors and flavors can then be added to the foam. Alternatively, the colorant can be added prior to aeration. Regardless, a single color can be used to produce a xe2x80x9csimplexe2x80x9d marbit, or multiple colors in unequal proportions can be employed for a xe2x80x9ccomplexxe2x80x9d marbit. The particular marshmallow product may be formed into its final shape by an extrusion process. That is, after aeration, the foam is extruded through die to form a rope. The die imparts the desired peripheral shape (e.g. circle, square, star, irregular shape, etc.) to the extrudate rope. The rope is allowed to rest briefly to stiffen, and then is cut into desired sizes. For dried marshmallows, the process can additionally include one or more drying steps as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,551.
Substantial efforts have been made to optimize mass production of aerated confectionery foam products, as well as to augment the resulting product. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,158, entitled xe2x80x9cProcess For Aerated Confection,xe2x80x9d describes an improved mass production technique for preparing candies and confections, especially aerated confections such as marshmallows. Additionally, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,404 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,436,455, entitled xe2x80x9cMulti-Color Aerated Confectionery Products and Processes for Making,xe2x80x9d both described techniques for forming multi-colored marshmallow products for xe2x80x9ccomplexxe2x80x9d marbits on a mass production basis.
While the above-described efforts have been successful achieving low-cost, mass-produced simple and complex marbits, opportunities for further improvements remain. In particular, current processing techniques virtually universally employ a guillotine-type vertical cutter for cutting the extrudate rope into small pieces. This apparatus is shown schematically, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,404. While the guillotine-type vertical cutter is undoubtedly serviceable, certain inherent limitations are presented. For example, the guillotine-type vertical cutter can simultaneously cut a number of extrudate ropes during a single cutting cycle. However, each cutting cycle requires both lowering and raising of the cutting blade, typically limiting the maximum number of cuts to less than 1,000 cuts per minute. Obviously, the maximum cuts per minute places an absolute limit on the number of pieces a single cutter is able to produce. Additionally, the blade speed of the guillotine-type cutter during a cutting operation is relatively slow, such that the extrudate rope must be allowed to xe2x80x9csetxe2x80x9d before a cutting operation. As described in the above-referenced documents, the extrudate rope xe2x80x9csetsxe2x80x9d with cooling. Therefore, the extrudate rope must be allowed to cool for a relatively long period of time (or xe2x80x9cresidence timexe2x80x9d) prior to cutting. The relatively lengthy residence time requirement, in turn, necessarily increases overall production time. Finally, for the same reasons, the guillotine-type vertical cutter cannot cut the extrudate rope into pieces smaller than approximately 0.25 inch (6.35 mm) in thickness. Attempts to produce a smaller thickness marbit typically results in the marbit being deformed.
Aerated confectionery foam products, such as marshmallow or marbits, continue to be extremely popular food items. As such, manufacturers will continue to produce large quantities of these products, and therefore highly desire any available cost savings in the mass production thereof. To this end, prior art processing techniques incorporating a guillotine-type vertical cutter present certain inherent processing limitations. Therefore, a need exits for a method and apparatus for processing an aerated confectionery foam rope into small pieces at increased rates.
One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of processing at least one rope of aerated confectionery foam. The method includes extruding at least one rope of aerated confectionery foam from an extruder. The rope is then conveyed from the extruder to a rotary cutter. An anti-sticking agent is applied to the rope as the rope is conveyed from the extruder to the rotary cutter. Finally, the rope is cut into pieces with the rotary cutter. In one preferred embodiment, the rotary cutter is operated to perform at least 5,000 cuts per minute.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a system for processing at least one rope of aerated confectionery foam. The system includes an extruder, a conveyor and a rotary cutter. The extruder is configured to extrude at least one rope of aerated confectionery foam. The conveyor conveys the rope from the extruder, and terminates in a leading end. The rotary cutter device is positioned proximate the leading end of the conveyor. In this regard, the rotary cutter device is configured to cut the rope into pieces at a rate of at least 5,000 cuts per minute.
Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a mass produced marbit flake to be added to a ready-to-eat cereal. The marbit flake is an aerated confectionery foam having a thickness of less than 0.125 inch (3.175 mm). In one preferred embodiment, the marbit has a thickness of approximately 0.0625 inch (1.5875 mm).
Yet another aspect of the present invention relates to a mass produced marbit flake to be added to a ready-to-eat cereal. The marbit flake is an aerated confectionery foam having a length:thickness aspect ratio of in the range of approximately 32:5-48:5.